I couldn’t believe what I was hearing!
My husband and I were standing in the checkout line on a recent Saturday afternoon. A young boy around age 8-10 was waiting at the front of the store with his grandmother, who was seated at a bench that faced the line at the cash register. The boy appeared to be too active just to sit on the bench with her, so he started straightening up the shopping carts that were lined across the wall to the left of where his grandmother was sitting. Several carts had not been lined up with the carts in front of them and so were not nested together properly. The boy busied himself with backing them out one at a time from their wayward positions, lining each up with the cart in front of it, and then pushing them together in a nice uniform line. He seemed to enjoy himself and to take pride in his accomplishment. I looked on with admiration. But not his grandmother!
“What are you doin’?”, she exclaimed loudly. “Are you gettin’ a paycheck for doin’ that? …No! You’re not gettin’ paid to do that!”, she answered her own question.
“But I just want to fix’em,” her grandson replied. He continued to line up another errant cart.
“You don’t do nothin’ if you’re not gettin’ a paycheck for it”, she insisted. “Come over here and sit down!” Reluctantly, he obeyed.
I was astounded and incredulous. I couldn’t believe a grandmother would actually publicly scold and discourage the pleasantly helpful attitude of her grandson, or that she would instill in his young formative mind the idea that unless you get paid, you don’t do it, even if it’s a good thing to do, and you want to do it!
And I was embarrassed. For the boy? No, I was embarrassed for her; embarrassed that she seemed pleased with herself, as though she had just relayed to her grandson a wonderful principle by which to live his life. I was embarrassed for her, because she either had no idea just how appalling she was to onlookers, or she just didn’t care. I looked around to see how other shoppers were reacting, including my husband, and they seemed to be trying to pretend that they didn’t hear or observe what was taking place, which was impossible. It was that uncomfortable!
I didn’t look away—couldn’t look away! For a second I considered saying something like: “He’s such a good worker—so ambitious! You should be proud of what a fine boy he is!” But then I recovered myself and realized I might be biting off more than I could chew. If this woman had a chip on her shoulder, it could get ugly and even humiliate the boy. Sadly I kept my thoughts to myself, imagining the impact her misguided words could have on her grandson’s future. Hopefully, there would be others in his life who could speak wisdom to offset her scorn.
I guess the shocking thing for me was not only the words she spoke, but who was speaking them! I envision grandmothers imparting wisdom and grace into their grandchildren. You know, like the Proverbs 31 Woman: “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness” (vs.26). The apostle Paul wrote to his young protégé Timothy that he saw in him such purity of faith, and he knew where it came from, because he saw the same faith in his mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois (Ref. 2Tim.1:5). It is not surprising that Timothy was wise and responsible beyond his years and his peers.
I don’t know what events shaped that grandmother’s sour outlook on being industrious and motivated to do good for the sheer satisfaction of accomplishment. I do wonder, however, if she just allows her grandson to sit around doing nothing productive, watching TV, playing video games, and if she pays him every time she gets him to take out the trash, bring in the groceries, pick up his things, or even do his homework. Today you can’t even pay some kids to do this.
Had that grandmother said, “Son, I’m proud of you for being such a good worker, but I don’t want you to do that, because you could hurt someone or yourself, or break something”, she would have sent her grandson a different message.
God’s Word tells us: “Whatsoever your hand finds to do, do it with your might” (Ecc.9:10). Many people do just enough to get by, and they gripe if they have to do more, especially if they think it’s somebody else’s job. They become resentful, and this is an attitude no one wants to be around. They will not excel in this life, and they will lose their rewards in Heaven, which are reserved for those who are “faithful in the few” (Matt.25:21). Jesus also said, “He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful in much…. And if you have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who will give you that which is your own?” (Luke16:10&12).
Certainly that kind of attitude is detrimental in a workplace, whether it’s God’s vineyard or others. I once read about an employer who was interviewing prospective employees for a position in the company. He devised a simple plan to see how much initiative each had that their applications might not reveal. He planted a ball of trash in front of the doorway of the building with a trash can nearby. He watched as each person arrived to see if any would pick up the trash. One by one, they stepped over the trash as they entered. Only one person bothered to pick up the trash and place it in the can. He got the job.
We will be called upon to do many things in this life for which we will not receive a paycheck or compensation, but if we do them cheerfully and competently, we will receive an eternal reward in Heaven. And it’s not only the big things we do that will be rewarded. Jesus said that if we give a cup of water in His name, we will be rewarded. And it’s not just for grown-ups. Many times when Jesus taught He used a child as an example of the kingdom of God. He said, “Except you become as little children, you will not enter in the kingdom” (Matt.18:3). A child is humble, trusting, inquisitive, seeking to learn and do new things, enthusiastic, and eager to please. They want and need approval from their parents and adults in their lives, to be told: “Job well done. I know you’re going to do great things when you grow up.”
For myself, I want more than anything when I stand before God to give an account of the deeds done here, to be able to say as Jesus said in John 17:4: “Father, I have glorified you on the earth; I finished the work you gave me to do.” And to hear Him say, “Yes you have… Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things…” (Matt.25:23).
Because we are getting paid for every good thing we do!
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